Kohli stunned after ‘absolute screamer’

AUSTRALIA has ripped through India's top order in a dream first session which saw Indian superstar Virat Kohli stunned by "the best catch ever".

India's charge for a first-ever test series win on Australian soil was in trouble early on day one of the first Test at Adelaide Oval afte rthe Aussies quicks made the most of India's decision to bat after winning the toss.

Pat Cummins produced the major breakthrough when the Indian captain slashed hard at a pitched-up delivery that took a leading outside edge and screamed to the left of Aussie fielder Usman Khawaja at gully.

Khawaja had to hurl himself into the air to his left before sticking out his left hand to snatch the flying Kookaburra out of the air.

The incredible catch left India in all sorts at 3/19 after Kohli was forced to return to the pavilion having made just three from his 16 balls.

His dismissal was the third Indian wicket to fall when Aussie bowlers had pitched up deliveries wide of off stump.

The wicket improved Cummins' record to two wickets from four deliveries in the history of his new rivalry with Kohli.

The wicket really belonged to Khawaja, however, with his freakish acrobatics causing the dangerous batsman's undoing.

Earlier, Josh Hazlewood struck with the final ball of his first over to remove opener KL Rahul for 8 with a darting delivery that swung away from the right-hander.

Hazlewood's beauty took the outside edge of Rahul's cover drive and sailed into the safe hands of Aaron Finch at second slip.

Rahul appeared furious with himself at trying to play square so early in his innings against the new ball.

The dismissal left India 1/3 from two overs and they were soon 2/15 when Mitch Starc removed Murali Vijay with a pitched up ball outside off stump.

Vijay was out for 11 from 22 deliveries after he sliced at the delivery and sent a thin outside edge through to keeper Tim Paine.

11.10am

Hazlewood gets first scalp in 'horror' start for India

Josh Hazlewood struck with the final ball of his first over to remove opener KL Rahul with a darting delivery that swung away from the right-hander.

Hazlewood's beauty took the outside edge of Rahul's cover drive and sailed into the safe hands of Aaron Finch at second slip.

Rahul appeared furious with himself at trying to play square so early in his innings against the new ball.

Hazlewood got the ball to move just enough to cost Rahul his wicket.

The dismissal left India 1/3 from two overs. Rahul fell for two from eight balls.

11am

'Ridiculous' snub overshadows First Test

English test great Michael Vaughan has scorched India over their refusal to play a day-night test throughout the Australian summer.

Cricket Australia's request to face India in a pink-ball test at the Adelaide Oval this summer was knocked back by India.

Vaughan told Fox Cricket during its pre-test build-up that it is "ridiculous" that India has been able to dictate the terms under which the series will be played.

His criticism was certainly supported by the searing Adelaide heat and predictions the mercury will climb to 39C in Adelaide on Thursday.

Vaughan said it is a "shame" for cricket that Australia will only play a day-night test against Sri Lanka in February.

India reportedly refused to play the day-night test because they remain inexperienced in the concept and did not want to hand Australia any advantage in the four-match series.

10.35am

India win the toss and bat first

Virat Kohli has won the toss and elected to bat first at the Adelaide Oval.

The crucial toss means Australia's attack is staring at the prospect of an entire day in the field in sweltering 39C heat.

Neither side sprung team selection shocks with India confirming Hanuma Vihari has been overlooked for Rohit Sharma.

Aussie captain Tim Paine is hoping his team can find some juice in the pitch in the first session of play.

"There's something on this pitch early on, we've seen that in domestic cricket here," he told Channel 7.

"Difficult to leave Mitch Marsh out, but we believe three fast bowlers and Nathan Lyon can get the job done."

The crucial victory puts India in the box seat straight away with history suggesting teams win 60 per cent of matches when they win the toss and bat in Adelaide.

10.20am

Harris presented Baggy Green

Travis Head has officially been inducted in as Australian Test cricketer No. 456.

The Victorian opener was handed his Baggy Green surrounded by his teammates and family members.

9.30am

Interesting 'gamble' on under fire Aussie batting order

Aussie test great Mark Waugh says Australia is gambling on a world class bowling order to bolster its under-pressure top order.

India's bowling attack will be licking its lips when having a quick look at the fragile Australian batting order.

It has emerged this week that the Aussie top order is statistically the most fragile an unproven top seven Australia has selected since World Series Cricket.

The inexperienced line-up, missing banned trio Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, also has the lowest combined test runs for any Australian test side since 1979.

The Aussie batting line-up lost further experience when the dramatic selection decision to drop vice-captain Mitch March was announced on Wednesday.

Waugh said Australian selectors' decision to overlook allrounder Mitch Marsh and field just four recognised bowlers will pile the pressure on Mitch Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon - especially in the face of draining conditions for teams in the field.

"They've gone with the six specialist batsmen which is a bit of a gamble, but with the pitch and the heat doing what it's doing hopefully selectors have got it right," Waugh told Fox Sports News.

"It is a gamble, but if you look at Mitch Marsh, he hasn't bowled many overs when he's played anyway. The pace attack has carried a lot of the workload and Nathan Lyon, he can bowl a lot of overs. He bowled almost half the overs in the UAE.

"I see it as a bit of a gamble, but if you look at the Indian team as well, they've got the same balance."

Marsh had been under serious pressure to retain his spot after lean tours of South Africa and the UAE and skipper Tim Paine has confirmed the West Australian's omission in favour of in-form Victorian batsman Peter Handscomb Handscomb.

Opener Marcus Harris will make his debut in the series-opener starting at Adelaide Oval on Thursday, becoming Australia's 456th male Test cricketer. But the omission of Marsh, who shares vice-captaincy duties with Josh Hazlewood, is the biggest surprise given Australia have typically preferred including an allrounder at home to provide support to their frontline quicks. "Mitch Marsh hasn't been as consistent as he would have liked and we would have liked," Paine told reporters on Wednesday.

"We're taking an opportunity to send him back to Shield cricket ... knowing at some stage we're probably going to need him.

"The wicket over the last few years here has given enough throughout the game (to not need an allrounder).

Former Test captain Mark Taylor has joined the chorus slamming Michael Clarke's public calls for Australia to return to aggressive cricket.

Clarke's public run-in with high-profile commentator Gerard Whateley last week surrounded Clarke's public criticism of the Aussie test team this year under new captain Tim Paine and their renewed commitment to sportsmanship.

"I disagree with Michael Clarke's comments about what it means to be a tough cricketer," Taylor wrote.

"Being tough is not about sledging but playing well when conditions are not in your favour. As a batsman, it's about finding a way to make runs on a difficult pitch, while for bowlers it's having the courage to keep running in when it's 39 degrees, like it will be this week, and creating opportunities.

"There will not be a huge change in the way this Australian team play but they will be toning down aspects of their play which the public have given their emphatic disapproval.

"They will not be spending as much time in team meetings discussing how they will put an opponent off their game.

"This stuff happened too much in the past, and not just with Australian teams. I don't want to point the finger at Michael Clarke or Steve Smith but it's something that has come into the modern game as players have become more familiar with each other."